This Christmas, we are likely to share and indulge in vast amounts of food for the sake of holiday cheer. The aftermath is usually messy tables, dirty everything and a pile of dishes waiting to be cleaned by a cocktail of toxic chemicals, lurking underneath your kitchen sink. These cleaning ‘agents’ claim to fight germs and ‘keep your house sparkling clean,’ but there is much more to it than simple cleaning. These toxic chemicals can be very harmful indeed and most of the risks are actually unknown to many of us. There is so much money being made with these cleaning products and they are so accepted in today’s society that very few are researching the implications of having so many toxic chemicals in our homes. (These chemicals are also contributing to the widespread global water crisis…)
From ammonia to ethylene glycol monobutyl, each bottle of cleaning product contains mysterious ingredients that you’ve never heard of, yet you know you shouldn’t swallow.
According to Women’s Environmental Network (WEN), more than 30,000 chemicals are currently on the European market without adequate environmental and health assessment. These chemicals are in everyday use in many household-cleaning products being touched and handled even by children. Synthetic chemicals are found increasingly in our food, water, homes and bodies, and the regulations in place are failing to protect people and the environment. Making sure your environment is as free of synthetic chemicals as possible this christmas is easier than you think.
Instead of reaching for the air freshener when there’s a nasty smell in the house, why not open the windows? Essential oils such as tea tree or eucalyptus are great for purifying the air and act as a natural disinfectant. To fight the war against toxicity in the household, the frontline of natural cleaning products consists of three magic weapons: vinegar, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and lemon juice.
Have you tried this amazing natural cleaner?
Use lemon juice »
For Removing lime scale from cups and glasses
Cut a lemon in half, cover the cut half with salt and rub this into the lime scale. Rinse.
For Polishing copper
Polish with a lemon juice and salt paste.
Use distilled white vinegar »
For Removing lime scale from kettles
Add one part water to one part vinegar to cover the element. Boil the kettle; pour away the solution and then wash thoroughly before use.
For Cleaning surfaces such as glass (smear free!)
For a great window and mirror cleaner, fill an old spray bottle with half vinegar and half water. Wash windows with this solution, dry, and then buff with scrunched up newspaper.
For Cleaning brass, bronze and chrome
To clean brass and bronze, mix half a teaspoon of salt and half a cup of white vinegar, and then add enough flour to make a paste. Apply thickly, leave for 30 minutes then rinse off.
Use bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) »
For Cleaning the oven
Make a paste of bicarbonate of soda, salt and hot water. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
For Cleaning silver
To clean silver items without scratching them, line a plastic container with aluminium foil (shiny side up); add a cup of warm water and a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Drop the silver items in the solution. Remove after a few seconds.
For Absorbing odours in the fridge
Place a dish of bicarbonate of soda in the fridge.
& For Preventing blockages in waste pipes
Pour half a cup of soda crystals down the drain. Flush with hot water.
Keeping it Green + Simple.
